Start of a 5-day run at Meadowlands, following the famed (and better) Warlocks/Hampton show.
First Set. Lots of flubs/rough playing - close to a train wreck on
Bertha. And not just Jerry - Bobby has no voice for
Greatest Story; a bad sign at the start of a 5-day run (though they did lay down the well-regarded 16th at the end). Jer loses the thread again on
Loser but the solo is good. Oddly (
i.e. typically for this band!),
Masterpiece is a classic version. Jer does something cool and Bobby's shout-mood, this night, fits.
Althea has Bobby attempting to play slide and
Cassidy is wreckage. Brent is likewise not his best on
A Little Light - though he's the only one playing right on a flubbed
Dough Knees.
Second Set. The set starts at its best (notwithstanding the encore) with a
China>Rider that's a little unique (albeit slight, unenthused) and then slides downhill. Bobby just monotones through
Estimated, saving up, likely.
Terrapin is trainwreck city: flat, with missed cues.
Drums and
Space are a respite before one big struggle of a
Wheel. The rest is average, though it does seem great in comparison, and the set is stretched to
1:45 to make amends. A good
Baby Blue leaves 'em happy.
1st Set: D+
2nd Set: D
Overall = 1½ (1-star show plus ½ for Masterpiece)
Highlights:
When I Paint My Masterpiece - perhaps the year's best
RUN:
12th 1¼ stars [D-, D+]
13th Letterman
14th 2 stars [C+, D]
15th 3 stars [C+, B-]
16th 3½ stars [B+, C]
SOURCES. The
miller.83292 sounds best (the balance is easily corrected on the second set) but there's also a hansokolow matrix using it, that has the energy.
Masterpiece is on
Postcards from the Hanging.